The USD Green Office Certification Program is designed to help offices on USD’s campus become more sustainable in their daily actions. The Green Office Certification Program consists of completing a questionnaire that targets waste minimization and resource reduction. By participating in this program, offices help USD lower its ecological footprint and set a positive example for other offices at USD, as a model of leadership, initiative, and sustainable thinking.
See the list below of certified offices from across campus. If your office is not yet on the list, contact the Office of Sustainability to start the certification process.
Get a head start by reviewing each category of the questionnaire and being familiar with your office's sustainable practices. To determine where your office would rank, add up all of your affirmative answers (Bronze=10-19, Silver=20-29, Gold=30-39, Platinum=40+).
Green Office Questionnaire
- Is there a recycling bin in your office that everyone has knowledge of and access to?
- Do common areas, like the kitchen, break room, and copy room have recycle bins wherever trash cans are present?
- Does your office use two-sided printing as the default setting on computers and printers?
- Does your office have a scrap paper bin?
- Does your office have used interoffice envelopes on hand and reuse them for on-campus mail?
- Is shredded paper collected from your office and recycled?
- Does your office attempt to reduce the amount of received junk mail by canceling catalogs that “just show up” by requesting removal from mailing lists?
- If there are faculty in your office, do they use e-reserve and other web-based services (such as UniversityReaders.com) to make materials available to students electronically instead of printing?
- If there are faculty in your office, do they accept student papers that are printed double-sided?
- Is it office policy to print double-sided?
- Does your office have a shared area for office supplies?
- Does your office contact Facilities Management to check if furniture can be fixed instead of throwing it away?
- Does your office have reusable plates, cups, and silverware as well as access to a sink and soap to clean them?
- Do employees of your office use travel mugs and reusable water bottles?
- When hosting events, does your office require RSVPs and work with USD Catering to ensure the right amount of food gets ordered?
- When hosting events, does your office ensure that leftover food from catered events does not go to waste?
- Does your office have a battery recycling container?
- If your office has a battery recycling container, is there a person responsible for contacting EH&S to arrange a pickup when the container is full?
- Are USD-owned old or broken printers, scanners, monitors, computers, etc. previously obtained from IT recycled in the reuse program?
- Are any other non USD-owned electronics taken to a (Disabled American Veterans) donation collection bin on campus? And/or, is a work order submitted to EH&S to pick up the electronics?
- Does this office use a coffee pot and/or reusable Keurig pods?
- Does this office host completely or mostly zero-waste meetings? (no paper handouts, reusable dishware is used for any food, etc.)
- Are office copiers set to sleep or standby after five minutes of idle time?
- Do all desk lamps (lamps/lights not provided by Facilities) in your office have energy efficient light bulbs (LEDs) installed?
- Is it a policy in this office to shut down (different than putting computer to sleep) computers when leaving at the end of the day?
- When leaving at the end of the day, is it a policy in your office for the last person to ensure that all of the lights are turned off? If not, are there automatic light sensors located at your office?
- About how many of employees in this office use space heaters?
- When the temperature is uncomfortable, does your office submit a work order through USD Facilities?
- Does everyone in your office unplug chargers (cell phone, battery, etc.) once charging is complete?
- Do you purchase your own office supplies? If yes, are you following USD's "Sustainable Procurement Guidelines"?
- Does your office use EarthChoice FSC certified paper OR FSC certified 30-100% recycled content paper?
- Does your office use reusable linens/do napkins and paper towels ordered for this office contain recycled materials in the kitchen and at meetings?
- Does your office use reusable products/purchase plates, utensils, and cups made of compostable or recycled-content for events and large meetings that have food?
- Are kitchen soaps and cleaners used in your office eco-friendly?
- Does your office use reusable grocery bags for shopping trips to eliminate plastic bag consumption?
- Does this office reuse holiday decorations or buy new ones each year?
- Does this office has a water refill station that everyone knows about?
- Do at least 20% of the people in your office carpool, ride a bike, walk, or take public transportation to campus?
- Does this office have sustainability guidelines/established green procedures?
- When a new employee joins this office, does someone inform them of green office procedures?
- Is there anyone in your office that is responsible for focusing on sustainability issues?
- Do you have signage to show what what type of materials are accepted in the recycling bin?
- New innovation (anything that your office is doing to be sustainable that isn't covered in one of the above categories)
Certifications
- Platinum
- Gold
- Silver
- Bronze
2025-2026:
- College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office
- Graduate Admissions
- Summer and Intersession Office
2023-2024:
- The Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education
2022-2023:
- Advancement Services
- Alumni Relations
- Biology Department
- Copley Library
- Ethical Development and Restorative Practices
- General Counsel
- Graduate Records, Registrar Office, Summer and Intersession Office
- Manchester Family Child Development Center
- Nonprofit Institute
- Provost Office
- SOLES Admissions
- Theatre Department
- University Copy